


Friends Don't

by margaerystark, rebeccavis



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-14 06:32:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14764436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/margaerystark/pseuds/margaerystark, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebeccavis/pseuds/rebeccavis
Summary: Robb Stark takes a shine to Margaery Tyrell, an exchange student at his school, but is uncertain as to whether his feelings are reciprocated.





	1. Prologue

"I think our son has developed a crush.”

“Well, that’s only natural for a boy his age.” Catelyn’s husband barely looked up from his work to acknowledge her. He was sitting at his desk in his study, still looking over papers despite the fact that five o’clock had long since passed. She pressed further. 

“There have been a few girls that he’s fancied in the past, but none that he’s pursued. He joined the after-school  _ orchestra _ . I’ve only ever seen him take an interest in sports.”

Ned’s lips twitched with a smile. “It’s good that he’s broadening his horizons. He’ll need to be well-rounded for college applications.”

She let out a gentle sigh as she took a seat opposite him. Ned did not seem to realize the gravity of the situation. More often than not, their eldest son had come to her with everything from academics to peer problems to familial issues, but this time Sansa had been the one to inform her about his newest extracurricular endeavor. 

“Has Theon joined as well, then?” Ned queried.

“No,” she answered pointedly.

“And Jon?”

“No.”

“Oh my.” Her husband’s tone was laced with humor. “He must be serious about this one, then.” He finally seemed to notice the expression on her face, and he reached for her hands across the table. “When you were seventeen did you ever wish to go to your father with information about your love life?” he asked.

“Of course not, but Robb’s different.”

“Aye. He’s a good son and very good at listening to you. Why don’t you go to him and voice your concerns, my love?”

“Because...well, I admit I am not entirely sure how to handle this situation. If he’s unlikely to want to speak to his father about this then he’s equally unlikely to want to speak to his mother.”

Ned squeezed on her hands, offering her a small smile. “We’ll just have to see how this one plays out, then,” he suggested, “Who knows? Maybe nothing will come of it.”

“Nothing will come of what?”

Catelyn’s head swung towards the doorway where she saw her eldest daughter leaning against the wall looking curious.

“I was just telling your father about Robb’s newfound enthusiasm for music,” she explained.

Sansa gave a small giggle. “You don’t know the half of it,” she remarked.   
  
“Who exactly is this girl Robb has taken an interest in?” Catelyn enquired, “Should your father and I be concerned?”

“I wouldn’t be. She’s very sweet. And very pretty. Long, brown hair, blue eyes, always smiling. It’s no wonder Robb has a thing for her. Half the guys at school do.”

“Oh…”

“But I think she likes him back. Jeyne swears she saw them about to kiss backstage once, but she makes things up all the time.”

Catelyn raised her eyebrows. 

“Don’t worry, Mum,” Sansa reassured her, “I really think Jeyne was pulling my leg when she said that. Margaery has sworn off dating or something.”

“Well, that sounds like an intelligent thing for a girl her age to do. It’s important to focus on schoolwork.”

“It sounds a little boring for her, though,” Sansa remarked, wrinkling her nose, “And definitely not good for Robb.”

Ned gave a small chuckle. “If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be,” he chimed in.

“You’re probably right, Daddy,” Sansa said, “Anyway, I think he drove Margaery home today after rehearsal. I had to get a lift from Alys. They had us doing burpees at cheer practice today so I’ve worked up an appetite. Think we can start dinner without Robb?”

“I suppose so,” Catelyn replied after some hesitation. She didn’t wish to push the matter further than she had already, but she had never known Robb to be late for dinner. 

Ned stood to his feet as she did, and he reached for her hand again once he’d made his way around the desk. “Cat, I can have a word with him if you’d like me to. Just to make sure he’s still seeing things clearly.”

Catelyn finally smiled then, leaning forward to leave a peck on her husband’s lips. “Thank you, my love,” she said. He truly did listen to her and know what to say to make her feel better, even when they didn’t see eye to eye. 

She heard the front door open and knew then that their eldest must have come home. “Good luck,” she remarked to Ned, “I’ll save you a big helping of stew.”


	2. Take Moonlit Strolls

Robb Stark had hoped that the day would come when he would fall for someone, but he had never imagined it would be quite this overwhelming. Secondary school was difficult sometimes but he liked to think it wasn’t that bad; he had friends, after all, and he got along with almost all of the people he interacted with in class and playing sport. He had met girls he had found attractive and girls that he enjoyed talking to, but none which had made him feel the way he felt about Margaery Tyrell. From the moment they had met all he had wanted was to be around her as much as possible, and when she was gone she was almost all he could think about. Theon couldn’t stop teasing him about his crush but he didn’t even care. His best friend might have been a bit older than him but Robb didn’t really consider him a role model when it came to relationships. After all, Theon had never had a steady girlfriend, and a steady girlfriend was all that Robb wanted particularly now that he had met Margaery.

The only problem in falling so hard for Margaery was that she didn’t seem to want a steady boyfriend. He could tell she liked spending time with him whether they were in a group of friends or by themselves. She laughed at all of his admittedly bad jokes and had already opened up to him about her home life and what it was like to be an exchange student. She had even encouraged him to join the orchestra for the school musical when she was cast as one of the leads so that they could hang out after school. He enjoyed being her friend and so he decided not to push the idea of them possibly becoming more than that, not wanting to scare her away.

“Son? Are you coming down for dinner?”

Robb was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of his father’s voice coming from the open door. It was as he heard him that Robb realized he probably looked rather ridiculous lying on his bed staring at the ceiling, and he hastily sat up. “Aye, I’m on my way,” he answered.

“Is everything OK?” Ned asked, “Your mum seems to think there might be cause for concern and I’m wondering if she might be right.”

“Oh no, I’m fine, dad,” Robb replied, getting up and feigning a smile, “I’m ready for stew. Smells delicious.”

His mother had a way of seeing through any white lie he might tell, but sometimes he could get away with not revealing everything to his father. In truth he hated keeping secrets from either of them; they were good parents and mentors and he felt incredibly grateful for their advice on most occasions, but he didn’t exactly feel like broadcasting his situation with Margaery.

“You were late coming home, and Sansa said she had to get a lift from Alys,” Ned pointed out.

“I’m sorry,” Robb said in earnest, “I had to give someone a lift home.”

“Someone?” Ned echoed.

“A friend,” Robb replied, but his father didn’t seem satisfied. “Margaery…is the name of my friend,” he amended, “She doesn’t have a car yet and  I didn’t want her to have to wait in the rain for the bus.”

“That was kind of you,” Ned remarked, “So she’s in orchestra with you?”

“She’s in the play… She’s one of the leads,” he explained, “I’m playing drums for most of the songs. She’s really good. I mean, I’m sure you’ll see that if you come to the musical.”

“Of course we will, son. I’m glad you get to put your skills to use instead of just banging something out in the garage. Will you still be able to do swim team come next term?”

Robb nodded his head, giving a small smile.

“And will Margaery be joining the swim team as well?” Ned asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.

“I...don’t know. I haven’t asked her,” Robb admitted. The image of Margaery in a swimming costume popped into his head involuntarily, and he could feel his face turn red.

“I hope you know you can always talk to me and to your mother if something is on your mind,” Ned commented, “It may be hard to believe but I was your age once.”

Robb gave a small, slightly nervous laugh. “I know, Dad. I’d trust you and Mum with pretty much anything.”

“All right.” His father looked as if he wanted to say something else, but instead he placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go get some stew.”

Robb sat quietly through dinner, trying to ignore the looks that both his mother and Sansa were shooting him. He ended up being grateful for Bran, who asked him for help with homework after they had cleared the table. He retired to his room when his little brother was finished with his work, and his phone lit up with a text.

< _Thanks again for the lift today. And for letting me borrow your umbrella. :) > _

Robb couldn’t help but smile. < _Anytime_ ,> he replied hastily, < _How is your evening going?_ >

< _Not bad. I’ve just been practicing my songs. I wouldn’t want to let anybody down on opening night! > _

_ <You’re already great, Margaery. Not just saying that because I’m your friend.> _

He was surprised to see his phone light up with a call from Margaery then, and he had to remind himself to breathe before he answered it.

“Hi,” he said softly before trying to play casual, “What’s up?”

“I totally forgot to ask you something today!” she exclaimed, making his heart skip a beat, “Gods, I’m such an airhead. Harvest Feast is coming up and Lyessa and Robin are going out of town. They offered to take me with them, but I felt bad intruding on a family trip… Anyway, a few of my friends suggested that we have a little supper together before the actual day as a celebration of my first holiday in the North, and I was wondering if you wanted to come.”

“Aye, I’d love to go with you,” Robb replied without thinking, and then almost immediately felt like slapping himself in the face. “I mean, I’d love to come,” he amended, “That sounds like it would be a lot of fun.”

“Oh good! It’ll be all the more fun with you there, I’m sure. I’m taking ideas for food and drink so let me know if there’s anything in particular I can look for or that you’d like to bring.”

“I will,” Robb assured her, “Who else are you inviting?”

“Just Palla and Maisie so far. You could bring Jon or Theon if you don’t want to be the odd man out.”

He gave a small chuckle. “I’ll think about it. Jon’s probably more likely to _not_ flirt with your friends.”

He felt his cheeks go hot again when she giggled on the other end. “Everyone is used to Theon’s flirting by now, I think,” she noted, “Anyway… That’s all I wanted to ask. I’ll let you get back to your evening... Unless, of course, you don’t have anything to do. I can chat for a bit.”

“I’m free as a bird,” Robb affirmed, only to then wonder if Margaery would think him pathetic for not having somewhere to be. “I mean, Theon did say something about trying to sneak into a club, but I thought better of it,” he added hastily. It wasn’t completely a lie; Theon did suggest something of the like pretty much every afternoon.

Margaery giggled again. “Theon is quite a character.” Robb wasn’t entirely sure in what sense Margaery meant her words, but his doubts were very quickly assuaged. “I think you chose wisely. I wouldn’t sneak into a club anyway but if I _was_ going to sneak in somewhere I’m not sure Theon would be the best person to avoid getting caught.”

“Seems you already have him pegged,” Robb said with a laugh, “Clubs aren’t quite my scene anyhow. I’d rather spend my Friday night doing something else.”

“Oh yeah?” she questioned, “Like what?”

“Maybe going for a walk or watching a movie… I don’t know, sometimes my family has game nights… I just realized how lame all of that sounds.”

“Not at all, I think it’s sweet. I don’t have anything planned, so your night can’t be any lamer than mine.”

“That surprises me. I’d have thought your calendar would be all booked up pretty much all the time.”

“I’m still fairly new to the school, Robb. I don’t know _that_ many people,” Margaery noted with a laugh, “Besides, you know my parents want me to focus on my studies.”

“Aye, that’s a fair point,” Robb conceded. He paused for a moment which felt to him like it lasted forever as he made a spur-of-the-moment decision. “How are you for homework today? If you’re not doing anything and I’m not doing anything maybe we could...not do anything together?”

He was certain it took no time for Margaery to reply, but he held his breath the entire time she spoke. “Well, as much I’d _love_ to do homework on a Friday night, I think I’d rather be hanging out with you. That walk sounded like a good idea now that the rain has let up… Sorry, I feel like you just dropped me off, but do you think you could come pick me up again?”

“Yeah, no worries,” he responded, “When do you want me to swing by?”

“Hmmm, let’s see. How does half an hour sound?”

“Sounds perfect. I can’t wait,” Robb declared. He bid his goodbyes to Margaery, hoping he didn’t sound overly eager to her ears. He was aware that this wouldn’t be a real date, but all the same he couldn’t mask in his voice how much he was looking forward to spending time with her.

After they both hung up he found himself staring at his phone, wondering how he had managed to get so lucky. Then all of a sudden a mild panic overcame him as he realized something he hadn’t considered. ‘ _How on earth do you dress for a date that isn’t a date?_ ’

He figured it would be best to dress appropriately for the weather since they would be out on a walk. He hadn’t even changed out of his school uniform yet, and so he did so hastily, throwing on a pair of jeans and a smart sweater. He briefly considered something a little more casual but then told himself he was overthinking it. Margaery was very observant and would notice what he was wearing, and he figured she would appreciate him not looking like a slob.

Once he had grabbed his phone and his wallet, he made his way downstairs once more to find his parents. They normally never minded if he went out with friends on Friday nights, but he figured it would be best to ask them permission anyway.

“Mum, Dad,” he called out, “Is it OK if I head out? I’m going for a walk with a friend.”

“What friend? You didn’t say Jon or Theon so this must be a new friend,” Bran’s voice questioned, and Robb turned his head to see him appear in the corridor.

“I have more friends than just our cousin and Theon,” Robb remarked with a wry smile.

“Send me a message if you’re going to be out after midnight,” Catelyn’s voice called back.

“Will do!” he replied, giving Bran a small wave before he grabbed his keys sitting in a basket on the foyer table. Margaery’s host family lived about ten minutes away and he wanted to take his time getting there, so it was good that he was leaving early.

The sun was setting in the sky as he drove, but he knew the perfect place to take Margaery so that they could enjoy the outdoors even in the dark. There was a little park in the heart of Winterfell that was lit up at night by lanterns, and the walking path there led to a beautiful godswood.

He found a spot to park on her street, and texted her to let her know he’d arrived before walking up to her doorstep. It occurred to him just after he rung the bell that perhaps she might not want to meet him there, but waiting for her by the car seemed impolite.

“Robb! How nice to see you,” Lyessa Flint declared when she opened the door, not without a hint of surprise.

“Hello, Ms. Flint,” Robb said in return, “I’m looking for Margaery? Sorry, I don’t know if she mentioned…”

“Oh!” Lyessa exclaimed, raising her eyebrows, “I didn’t know she had a date tonight.”

Robb’s face flushed an embarrassing shade of red. “No, not a date… We’re just… going for a walk. She said she wanted to hang out so… here I am.”

Lyessa gave a small smile. “I’ll go call her down from her room, then. Why don’t you come wait inside? It’s a bit chilly tonight.”

“Thank you,” Robb said with a nod before following Lyessa into the house. He was glad that Margaery had such a kind host family; his family had known the Flints for years and Robb liked every one of them.

“How’s it going, Robb?” Robin Flint asked, giving him a grin as he laced up his football boots in the hallway, “You playing with us this weekend?”

“Of course,” Robb replied, “I wouldn’t let the lads down.”

“I think Margaery’s going to come watch,” Robin added with a small wink.

Robb didn’t have time to reply, though he wasn’t sure his face wouldn’t stop burning red, especially when Margaery walked down the stairs looking ridiculously pretty. Her face lit up in a smile, and he swore his heart stopped for a moment.

“Hey there,” she said, giving his shoulder a nudge, “Thanks for picking me up. Where are we headed?”

“I...the park,” Robb said simply. Margaery looked confused and he shook his head, silently telling himself to get a grip. “I was thinking maybe Wolfswood Park,” he corrected himself somewhat, “I think you might like it there. We can also go somewhere else though if you prefer. Oh, and hello, too.”

“Wolfswood Park sounds perfect. I’ll defer to your judgment since you’re the one who’s always lived here,” Margaery declared, “Shall we, then?”

Robb nodded his head. “I’ll make sure she gets home safely by midnight, Ms. Flint,” he said.

“Thanks, Robb,” Lyessa replied, “Have fun, you two.”

“Robb and I always have fun,” Margaery remarked with a smile, her nose crinkling slightly in what he thought had to be the most adorable expression ever.

Robb nodded in the direction of the door and then bid Lyessa and Robin goodbye, trying to figure out in his head how close he should stand to Margaery as they walked out the door. She helped matters by moving closer to him, and he offered a smile of his own which she returned.

“I’m glad you were able to put off your homework for a little while,” he remarked playfully to her.

“ _I’m_ glad you invited me on a walk so I had an excuse to put my homework off for a little while,” Margary admitted with a laugh, “I really wasn’t looking forward to it.”

He opened the car door for her to get in on the passenger side, and he swore he saw a blush cross her features for just a moment. “Thank you,” she said softly, “Are you sure you don’t want me to pay for your petrol or something? I feel bad having you drive me back and forth.”

“No, seriously, don’t worry about it,” Robb replied. He was pretty sure he’d drive Margaery to the outskirts of Dorne if she asked him to.

“You’re such a good friend,” she remarked, sending a small pang to his heart.

 _‘Don’t be a jerk,_ ’ he told himself, ‘ _You’re lucky to be her friend, even if she doesn’t reciprocate romantic feelings.’_

“ _You’re_ a good friend,” Robb said in return, “You were so helpful when I was having trouble playing that one song the other day. Whenever I mess up now I always listen to your voice and it helps bring me right back.”

Margaery shook her head with a smile as Robb got in beside her. “I’ve not heard you mess up once,” she told him, “We may not have known each other for that long but I can already tell you’re far too modest.”

“Perhaps I ought to spend more time with you,” Robb suggested playfully, “Then I’ll feel better about my drum skills.”

“I wouldn’t mind that,” Margaery said as he started up the car, almost so softly that he second-guessed whether he’d heard it at all. Her expression grew somewhat sad then, and she turned to look out the window.

“You can pick something to listen to on the radio if you like,” he suggested, hoping to lighten her mood. He figured it was best not to pry; Margaery opened up to him when she wanted to, and he didn’t want to ruin the trust they had built by pushing her.

“Oh, let’s put that playlist on that you shared with me,” Margaery replied, turning to look at him with a smile that Robb thought was still a bit wistful.

“You really liked it, huh? There I was thinking you were just being too nice to me as usual,” Robb joked.

“I would never lie to you, Robb Stark,” Margaery countered, her smile broadening, “And I’ll be honest and say there are a couple of songs I wouldn’t mind you skipping.”

“Well, if it’s anything that makes you want to lie on your bed and stare at the ceiling then I got it from Jon, so I’ll go ahead and blame him since he isn’t here to defend himself.”

Margaery giggled, and a grin spread across his face. “You two are so different… Then again, I suppose I’m not at all like some of my cousins either,” she remarked, “It’s just funny to see the both of you together. Jon always seems to be lost in his own serious thoughts, and you… Well, _you_ always seem to light up the room.”

Robb raised his eyebrows, his face growing hot again at her words. “I don’t know about that, but thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. See, like I said. Too modest.”

Robb was certain his face was only turning redder. “I will say that you haven’t yet seen Jon yet when we get competitive,” he remarked, trying to steer the conversation away from himself, “Our mothers definitely had to put us in time outs more than once when we were younger.”

“Is that right? And what would you compete over?”

“Oh, the dumbest things you can possibly imagine. Like...who could eat the most bacon before they were sick or who could scare Arya enough that she screamed,” Robb replied, adding in explanation, “She’s really, really hard to scare.”

Margaery laughed. “Well, don't tell Jon, but if there was a competition for my favorite person at school, I think you might just beat him,” she said.

Robb could feel his eyes growing wide. “Your favorite person? Even over Palla and Maisie?” he dared to ask.

“I mean, yeah…” she replied with a smile, “You were the first person who was genuinely nice to me and welcomed me into extracurriculars and such. When I was sitting alone at lunch on the first day of classes, you invited me to your table. I wouldn't even know Palla and Maisie if it wasn't for you. I will never forget that. It meant a lot to me.”

“Well, you mean a lot to me,” Robb said in return. Margaery’s look then made him play back what he’d said in his own head, and when realization dawned on him he quickly tried to make moves to correct himself. “I mean...you’ve made such a difference in my life and even in my family’s. I’m not sure Sansa would have tried out for the cheerleading team if not for you and she loves it.”

“Oh, Sansa’s the sweetest. I hope she gets to enjoy secondary school and...I don’t know, maybe fall in love with a boy as sweet as she is.”

“You’re talking as though you’re not in secondary school as well,” Robb commented, adding teasingly, “We’re not that old yet. We still have Sixth Form to look forward to.”

“I suppose,” Margaery said shortly, giving a small shrug, “My parents put a lot of emphasis on my studies. So it sometimes feels like I don't get to enjoy school and friends the way other people our age do. That's why I treasure time like this.”

Robb nodded his head in understanding. They had arrived at the park by then, and he pulled into a parking spot.

“So, this is Wolfswood,” Robb declared, smiling when he saw the look that crossed Margaery’s face upon sight of the lanterns. She seemed eager to see the park up close, and stepped out of the car before he did to walk around and meet him at the driver’s side.

“I love it,” Margaery declared with a smile of her own.

“Glad to hear it,” Robb replied, “There’s a really beautiful godswood in the centre and I thought we could walk to there. Or we can go anywhere you like.”

“Let’s go there,” Margaery agreed. He almost thought she might reach for his hand, but he told himself he was just imagining things as her hand swung close to his but then she fiddled slightly with her phone, placing it in her pocket.

It truly did feel like a date, especially at the end of the night when he dropped her back off at her host family’s house and they parted ways. The godswood had been a particularly romantic spot as it smelled of the blue roses that grew there and fireflies lit their way while they swapped stories and laughed over the inside jokes they already shared. They stayed far longer than they meant to, losing track of time and having to hurry back before midnight. She hugged him goodbye at her front door, lingering in his arms for a few seconds while he held his breath, hoping she couldn’t feel his heart beating wildly in his chest.


	3. Find Any Excuse to Touch

“Mate, I’m telling you. You just need to go ahead and grab her and give her a snog.”

Robb knew from almost the instant he had opened his mouth that it had been a mistake, but he supposed he only had himself to blame. “I’m not going to just grab her and give her a snog, Theon,” he asserted, keeping his voice down. They were in the middle of the cafeteria and he was expecting Margaery herself to show up at any minute.

“Why not?” Theon questioned, “Girls love that kind of thing. You could do it in the middle of rehearsal, make it really dramatic.”

“And how exactly would that work? I’m down in the pit doing drums while she’s up on stage. I’m not going to sabotage her part in the musical.”

Theon rolled his eyes slightly. “Then ask her to the dance, at least. And hurry up before someone else does.”

“Winter Formal is a whole month away,” Robb protested, “That would be really awkward if she said no. I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

“That’s what you keep saying but all I can see is you two making eyes at each other,” Theon said with disdain. Though he seemed to have found Robb’s crush entertaining at first, Robb could tell he was quickly losing patience.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Robb muttered, shaking his head. He then thanked the school dinnerperson Gage, who had given him his plate of food, and asked him how his new daughter was doing.

“Ah, she’s more beautiful by the day,” Gage declared, “I miss her when I’m here, and I feel bad for my wife. I know it’s not easy for her on her own.” He nodded to the space behind Robb then, and Robb turned his head to see Margaery stood waiting for him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” she said hastily.

“Here comes trouble,” Theon muttered under his breath, but Robb just ignored him.

He scooted over on the bench, making room for his friend. “That’s all right, why don’t you sit with us?” he suggested.

She gave a small smile and swooped in to press a kiss to his cheek in greeting before sitting down, causing even the tips of his ears to go pink.

“How come you don’t do that to me or Jon?” Theon asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Because  _ you _ would take it wrong, and Jon doesn’t like his personal space to be invaded,” Margaery was quick to reply, shooting Theon the same knowing look he had given her.

“I’ll bet Jon wouldn’t mind his personal space invaded by you,” Theon retorted. Robb let out a sigh, aware his friend was likely to be winding him up.

“Ygritte seems much more like his type,” Margaery noted with a smile, “And speaking of, where is he, anyway? I have some good news for him about Winter Formal.”

“He should be here soon. I think his class gets out later on Wednesdays,” Robb explained, “I’m curious about this good news, though.”

“I think I can share it with you.” Margaery giggled and lowered her voice slightly. “Ygritte said she would definitely say yes if Jon asked her to the dance.”

Robb let out a chuckle. “That ought to give him the courage to do it, then. I think he’s rather intimidated by her.”

“She’s nicer than she seems… Well, to me, anyhow. She just likes to tease Jon,” Margaery said, “I guess that’s her way of flirting.”

“He’s going to be so happy. Thanks for talking to her,” Robb replied, “Now, if we could just find Theon a date…”

Theon shook his head vehemently. “Why would I tie myself to one person when I can go alone and dance with whatever girl is free?” he queried, “I don’t need Margaery’s matchmaking skills.  _ You _ , however, might, Robb.”

“ _ What _ ?” Robb said, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Oh,” Margaery spoke up, “Is there someone you’re interested in, Robb?”

Robb hesitated, trying to gauge Margaery’s reaction. He thought for a moment it seemed as though she might be upset, disappointed even, but he wasn’t sure if that was just wishful thinking on his part. “I really don’t know what’s going on right now,” he said, not wanting to lie to her.

She looked as if she wanted to say something more, but Jon showed up then, clapping Robb on the back as he sat down on the other side of him.

“I’ll let you tell him the good news,” Margaery said softly, giving Robb’s arm a squeeze, “Come find me later if you want to talk.”

He gave a heavy sigh, watching her walk away for a moment before he turned back to his table of friends.

“I’m telling you, mate, she’s absolutely in love with you,” Theon remarked, actually sounding sincere, “Maybe you can’t see the way she looks at you, but we can.”

“Yeah, I have to agree with Theon for once,” Jon chimed in, surprising Robb, “Why don’t you ask her to the dance at the Harvest Feast get-together this weekend? It would be the perfect time.”

“I suppose I could…” Robb mused, “It would be a good place to do it, too. Not too many people around.”

“Wait, what Harvest Feast get-together?” Theon questioned.

“The one Margaery invited us to,” Jon explained matter-of-factly, “By the way, do you know if Ygritte is going?”

“No, Ygritte isn’t going, but Margaery talked to her and said she would go to the dance with you if you asked. And you weren’t invited because you flirt too much, Theon,” Robb said in one breath. 

Theon scoffed, but Robb didn’t particularly feel like consoling him when he had been rude to him since they sat down at the lunch table together. He realized at that moment that if he was going to ask Margaery to the Winter Formal, then he was going to do it right. 

He stood up and walked over to where Maisie and Palla were sitting. Luckily Margaery wasn’t with them, but he looked around to make sure she wasn’t close just in case. “Hey,” he said with a smile once he realized she was talking to Sansa across the room, “Do you think you two could help me with something?’

“Hi, Robb,” Maisie spoke up first. At his question she looked intrigued, and she exchanged a glance with her friend. “I think we can,” she declared.

“Is it something involving Margaery?” Palla wanted to know.

“Yes, actually,” Robb replied, “How did you guess?”

“Because you’re pretty much all she talks about,” Maisie remarked with a giggle, “It’s kind of sweet, really.” Her words only emboldened Robb, giving him a tiny bit more hope that Margaery might say yes when he asked her.

* * *

Just a few days later, Robb sat across from Margaery, his knee bobbing up and down anxiously after they’d finished eating their Harvest Feast dinner. Maisie had been gracious enough to open up her home to guests, and everyone had brought a dish that both looked and smelled delicious. In truth, he’d eaten very little despite how appealing the spread seemed as his stomach was full of butterflies in anticipation of asking Margaery to the Winter Formal.

With the help of both Palla and Maisie, he’d managed to make chocolate mousse from scratch knowing it was Margaery’s favorite pudding.  _ Her  _ dish, however, contained a special note that he’d attached to a decorative stick, hoping it looked at least a little bit aesthetically pleasing. Margaery’s friends assured him that it was perfect and that she’d love all of the effort he put into asking her to the dance, but that didn’t stop his nerves.

He felt something gentle knock his foot under the table, breaking him out of his thoughts. He glanced downwards and saw Margaery’s foot tap his ankle, and then he looked up to see her holding back a laugh. “Normally Jon is the one lost in his mind,” she teased when he met her gaze, “Are you in a post-feast coma?”

“Sort of. That was a lot of very good food,” Robb noted, placing a hand on his stomach, “What about you? Do you think you’ll have room for dessert?”

“Oh, there’s  _ always  _ room for dessert,” Margaery asserted, “Perhaps we should wait a little bit, though, so we can appreciate it all the more.”

“Oh, yes. Wouldn’t want to miss out on the lively conversation,” Palla said, her tone tinged with sarcasm as she looked at Jon sitting next to her. 

Maisie nudged her friend, and Palla laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “Jon, do you think you could help me and Palla clean the table off so that Robb and Margaery can get dessert ready for when we do want it?” she asked.

“Sure,” Jon answered simply, standing up and starting to clear the dirty dishes.

The three of them walked out of the room, and Robb was left alone with Margaery for the first time in a long while. “I made chocolate mousse,” he announced, “It’s in the fridge.”

“You didn’t. You’re too sweet, Robb,” Margaery told him after her mouth had dropped open in surprise, “How did you know that was my favorite?”

“You told me. Remember there was that day we were in the cafeteria and you were a bit sad because…”

“...because they only had strawberry mousse left,” Margaery finished. She gave a small laugh then and shook her head with a smile. “Well, thank you. I can’t wait to try it.”

“Palla and Maisie helped me make it,” he admitted with a laugh of his own, “I’m not the best cook, but I wanted to make sure it tasted good for your sake.”

Robb wasn’t sure what to do with himself after the way Margaery looked at him then, and he thought he finally knew what Jon and Theon were talking about when they said she made eyes at him. She stood from the other side of the table and walked over so that they could sit next to one another.

“Forget favorite person at school. You’re my favorite person in the world, Robb Stark,” she told him, reaching for his hand and sending his heart racing.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of glass hitting the floor, making them both jump and break apart. 

“Shit, I’m sorry!” Maisie declared, bending down to clean up her mess.

Robb stood up and hurried over to help Margaery’s friend, collecting pieces while she searched for a dustpan and brush. 

“Such a gentleman,” Palla remarked loudly enough for Margaery to hear, “He’d be a good catch for someone out there, don’t you think?”

“That goes without saying, really,” Margaery responded, causing his face to flush. 

Robb finished cleaning up the glass that had broken and made his way to the kitchen to get out the desserts, placing them carefully on the dining room table and saving Margaery’s for last. Her comments to him and about him had instilled some confidence, and although he was still somewhat nervous, he felt better about what he was going to ask her.

Palla and Maisie were quick to leave them to themselves once more, dragging Jon along with them and pretending they wanted help picking out a game to play after pudding.

“Is this one mine?” Margaery asked. She had been quick to notice that her dessert was a bit different to everyone else’s and was looking at Robb questioningly with a smile.

“Aye,” Robb replied, feeling his heart already start to thud in his chest, “...with a little note from me. Well, more of a question, really. I guess a question can still be a note.”

Margaery giggled, reaching for her dessert and pulling out the stick so that she could read his note better. He watched her expression go from curious to crestfallen, and when she turned to look at him, he was horrified to see tears in her eyes that most certainly weren’t happy ones.

“We can go as friends if you’re uncomfortable with it as a date,” he was quick to backtrack, hoping to rectify the situation he’d put himself in.

“No, it’s not… I’d love to go with you, Robb,” she started, shaking her head, “It’s just that… Well, my boyfriend is coming up from King’s Landing to go with me.”

“Your...boyfriend,” Robb repeated, finding himself unable to say anything else as the words sunk in. He was certain Margaery had never said anything about having a boyfriend - but then again, he had never asked. “I’m such an idiot,” he muttered, “I’m so sorry, Margaery. I should’ve known…” 

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about. I wish...I’m the one who’s the idiot,” Margaery asserted, her voice having dropped to almost a whisper, “ _ I’m _ sorry, Robb.”

Robb shook his head, but before he could say anything else, Palla, Maisie, and Jon walked in, looking excited before they noticed the tone in the room had shifted. 

“I’m so sorry,” Margaery said again, giving Robb’s arm a squeeze before she pushed past everyone, seemingly headed in the direction of the bathroom.

“What in the seven hells happened?” Jon asked, his brow furrowing.

“She’s...going to the dance with her boyfriend,” Robb explained, still looking in the direction Margaery had disappeared.

“Boyfriend?” Palla questioned, “What boyfriend?”

“Oh, gods, I’m sorry, Robb,” Maisie chimed in, her hand over her mouth, “We had no idea.”

“It’s fine,” Robb declared, even though it wasn’t really. Regardless of how he was feeling, though, he wanted to make sure he hadn’t lost Margaery’s friendship at least, and he made his way over to the door of the bathroom.

He knocked lightly on it, his heart dropping when he realized he could hear her crying. “Margaery?” he questioned gently, “Can I talk to you?”

He could hear the lock click, and the door swung ajar. He let himself in, seeing his friend situated on the rim of the tub, her face in her hands. He put the toilet lid down and took a seat on top of it, unsure of what to say first.

“I haven’t been fair to you,” she spoke first, not meeting his gaze, “I feel like I’ve led you on, and… I don’t know. I hate that I’ve hurt you.”

“No, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have assumed…” Robb’s mouth twisted and he leant forwards, hoping she would look at him. “Margaery, listen, all I really care about is...I don’t want to lose you, or our friendship. I’d love it if we could just pretend this never happened.”

Margaery went from averting his gaze to staring at him with wide eyes. “I swear you’re almost too good to be true sometimes, Robb Stark,” she murmured. Her hand moved up to wipe some of the tears from her face, and she gave a small sniff before she spoke again. “The least I can do is tell you the truth,” she asserted.

“My parents and are the ones that want me to date Renly,” she explained softly, “I wouldn’t be with him otherwise. He’s a few years older than us and has a really promising future in politics. We’ve never even kissed… I’m just a good cover for him because I come from an affluent family that can back his campaigns and because he’s not interested in women and is worried he won’t get the conservative vote if he comes out.”

Robb’s eyes got even wider than Margaery’s. “That’s a lot to put on your plate,” he noted, reaching for her hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. He felt a lot less confused about her not telling him or her friends that she had a boyfriend considering it didn’t seem like Renly was much of a boyfriend at all. The clarity that she had offered him, however, was overshadowed by the sadness he felt for her and the situation she was in.

“They’re my family. I want to do right by them, but...I was the one who actually suggested doing an exchange year here in Winterfell because I thought it would give me the most freedom. I’m so far away from everything else here and that’s been a really nice change,” Margaery admitted before shaking her head, “I didn’t mean to get you involved with any of this. I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t mean to make friends?” Robb asked, his brow furrowed, “That sounds like quite a sad year of secondary school.”

“I didn’t mean to make friends with someone I like as much as I like you,” Margaery explained in a voice just above a whisper. 

“Oh...” Robb exclaimed, his cheeks growing red again.

“You weren’t wrong in assuming anything,” she told him, giving him a soft smile that made his heart beat a little faster, “I would much, much rather go to the dance with you than Renly... As a date, not just as friends. In case I didn’t make that clear.”

He could feel her fingers curl around his, and he took a deep breath in before asking a question he dreaded hearing the answer to. “But you can’t, can you?” 

Margaery bit down on her own bottom lip and shook her head slowly. “It’s...probably for the best. I’ll be gone next year, anyway,” she remarked, “Robb, I completely understand if you don’t want to be my friend. I understand if you don’t ever want to see me again.”

“That would be a very sad year of secondary school for me,” Robb replied simply. The fact that he and Margaery couldn’t go to a dance together even though they both wanted to was a bitter pill to swallow, but one thing that remained certain in his mind was how much he didn’t want to lose her. “I’m not going to stop being friends with you because of this,” he told her, “If anything, you need someone who knows the truth about your circumstance with Renly and your parents now more than ever.”

Margaery’s eyes misted over with tears again, and she gave him a look that he recognized in the quiet, intimate moments between his mother and father. It was the look his mum gave his dad when he unexpectedly told her she was beautiful or surprised her with dinner after a long day or murmured ‘I love you’ for no particular reason. He was overcome with emotion at Margaery’s expression, and he knew then he would care for her no matter what their future held, even if it hurt.

“Thank you,” she breathed, “I don’t know what I did to deserve you in my life, but I’m so grateful.” Margaery’s eyes flickered downwards for a moment, and Robb wondered if he was just imagining it or if she really was looking at his lips.

“I’m not quite sure what to tell everyone out there,” Robb remarked, partially to distract himself from thinking about anything else, “Palla and Maisie at least might suspect something’s off.”

“Leave them to me. That’s not your problem,” Margaery assured him, “...I just realized I didn’t get to try any of your chocolate mousse. I was really looking forward to that.”

Robb couldn’t help but give a gentle laugh in spite of everything. “Let’s go, then. I can figure out something to say to Jon. The longer we’re in here, I think the more suspicious they’ll get.” 

Margaery nodded her head, standing up along with him. He was certain she’d let go of his hand when they made their way out of the bathroom, but she held tight to it, giving him a small tug so that he ended up by her side. “There’s one more thing I want to do before we leave here,” she whispered, “Just in case we don’t get another chance.”

“And what’s that?” Robb asked. He felt his face flush even though he didn’t know for certain what she was about to ask him.

“I don’t even know that I should be asking you this…” Margaery remarked, taking a deep breath before she said, “Can I kiss you? Or would it make things too difficult?”

Robb briefly wondered if it was possible for his heart to actually stop beating while he was still alive. “It might make things too difficult,” he said softly, “But I really want to kiss you.”

Margaery gave him a gentle smile that made him go weak in the knees as she moved even closer to him and closed the small distance between them. She tilted her chin up to let their lips meet in a slow kiss, and he felt as though his whole body had been set alight, goosebumps running up and down his arms.

He dared to lift his hand up and rest it against her hip, and she only responded in kind, trailing her own hand over his shoulder. Robb knew somewhere in the back of his mind that this was probably a bad idea in the long term, but all he could think as Margaery’s lips were on his was that he wouldn’t trade this for the world. 

The sharp knock on the door took him by surprise, and he felt certain he wouldn’t have broken apart from Margaery for quite some time were it not for the sound.

“Are you two OK in there?” Palla’s voice asked from the other side.

“We’re fine!” Margaery called back, “We’ll be out in a second.” 

That seemed to satisfy Palla, and he could hear the sound of her feet walking away. He turned to look at Margaery once more, and her hand came up to cup his jaw affectionately.

“At least now my first kiss was with someone I truly care about,” she murmured, though her tone was laced with sadness. 

“Mine as well,” he admitted just as softly. He didn’t want to linger too long in the bathroom, fearing he’d never want to leave, and so he pressed a tender kiss to her temple and then finally, reluctantly let go of her hand.


End file.
